10 Essentials: Avicii

Swedish DJ Avicii—real name Tim Bergling—has gone from tooling around on his MacBook to becoming one of the biggest electronic music makers in the world, all in the span of a few years. Not too shabby for a 23-year-old. In 2012, his mega-hit "Levels" can be heard everywhere, he was nominated for a Grammy, started remixing for the likes of Madonna, and became the face of Ralph Lauren's Denim Supply line. He'll head back into the studio this fall, collaborating with some top-secret artists, but not before he finishes up a summer of gigs across the globe. Here, he shares with GQ the ten things he couldn't live without on the road.

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1. Headphones: V-moda Crossfade LP2 headphones

"These are the only headphones I've seen that look that good and still have amazing sound. They're the perfect mixture of style, quality, and performance. I use them both onstage and off, when I'm watching movies. "

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2. Denim Supply plaid shirts

"I've always worn a lot of Ralph Lauren, and plaid shirts in general have been a signature piece for me. With plaid, you can look super-relad or you can look a bit dressed up. I was introduced to these Denim Supply ones even before we partnered up, when they sent over a couple from the new collection. I always have problems with finding the right fit: A lot of shirts fit okay, but there are a few that really fit perfectly, and all of these just do."

Photo: Matthew Sebra

3. 15-inch MacBook Pro

"It's an easy computer to bring out quickly, easy to put down and pick up. It starts quickly and never has any performance issues. It's incredibly light for the performance of it, especially the new model. Even running Boot Camp Windows on it for my music, it works, like, amazing."

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4. Oral-B medium toothbrush

"I like to brush my teeth. I don't know how much information is needed for a toothbrush."

"I've tried plenty of telephones. I tried to get into the Samsung Galaxy and the Blackberry, but the iPhone is just too easy to use. The camera takes clear pictures and the phone itself looks great. Like all Apple products, it kind of just makes sense.

I travel with a bunch of battery packs because I don't always have time to charge my phone at the hotel room when I'm traveling. I always change them so I never run out of battery."

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6. Berocca vitamin C

"It's a vitamin supplement that I try to take every day that really helps with the traveling. I don't really eat well all the time, so this kind of helps keep my immune system up."

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7. San Miguel Premium Beer

"I think it reminds me a lot of my first summer in Ibiza, and every time I see it there or I drink it, it kind of brings me back to a lot of good memories. I've always loved the taste of it, too. I try to get it whenever I can; it's not something you can get all the time, but I try to get it as much as possible."

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8. General Snus smokeless tobacco

"A long time ago I used to smoke, but I stopped maybe six years ago. I'm starting to really like the taste of Snus—it's sweet—and the convenience of it. I don't like smoking, and obviously what it does to you...who likes that? I can have this on, like, a half-an-hour flight, when I can't smoke on the plane."

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9. FL Studio

"I wouldn't make music if it weren't for this program. It's the one I use to make all my music and the program that I've used from the start. I've tried everything else, but I haven't found anything that makes me want to change. It's a very logical program for me to put down ideas quickly, since I'm not very patient. One of the downsides is that mixing and mastering is harder, since you have to use external plugins like compressors. But for working with a lot of melodies and putting stuff down quickly, there's nothing that can beat it."

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10. Tumi "Sierra" passport case

"I always used to travel without a passport case, and because of it I think I'm four passports in. I bought this small Tumi case to protect my new one, and it works really well, not just for protecting it but also for keeping credit cards and small stuff. I just throw it in my bag when I'm traveling, as opposed to stuffed in my pocket."

Swedish DJ Avicii—real name Tim Bergling—has gone from tooling around on his MacBook to becoming one of the biggest electronic music makers in the world, all in the span of a few years. Not too shabby for a 23-year-old. In 2012, his mega-hit "Levels" can be heard everywhere, he was nominated for a Grammy, started remixing for the likes of Madonna, and became the face of Ralph Lauren's Denim Supply line. He'll head back into the studio this fall, collaborating with some top-secret artists, but not before he finishes up a summer of gigs across the globe. Here, he shares with GQ the ten things he couldn't live without on the road.